How to create a portable hotspot on your Android device and share your mobile data via Wi-Fi or USB

Sharing your smartphone's mobile data with other devices in your keep can be a life saver, and seriously ranks among the very coolest thing your smartphone can do. Got a tablet without a data module? No problem, just tether it to your smartphone or create a portable hotspot. No WiFi available, but you want to check something on your laptop? No problem, just tether it to your smartphone or create a portable hotspot. Indeed, the scenarios you may find yourself in where a portable data hotspot comes in handy are many and varied, and it helps to remember both that you have that option with your Android, and how exactly to turn it on.

That's exactly what we'll be showing you in today's quick guide. Now, while this may sound like a fairly easy operation (and it is), we've come across quite a few people that are either unaware of that feature of their smartphone, or just have a darn hard time locating it in the settings menu. That last part is not entirely surprising, seeing as the option is usually buried under several layers of settings.

In any case, we've outlined the steps (which are mostly identical) for several popular Android devices and their respective Android software version. These include the all new LG G3, the Samsung Galaxy S5, the HTC One M8, the Nexus 5, and the Sony Xperia Z1, but will very likely work for most any Android device out there. Take a look.

How to create a portable hotspot on your Android device and share your mobile data via Wi-Fi or USB

Settings > Share & connect (Networks tab) > flip the switch to on next to Wi-Fi hotspot. You'll be asked to input a password that is at least 8 characters long, and you can edit the name under which Wi-Fi hotspot will show up by clicking the 'Wi-Fi hotspot' text.

If you want to share your internet through USB (tether), simply connect your LG G3 to another device, and enableUSB tethering (on the top).

LG G3 and similar

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On the Samsung Galaxy S5 (and similar), go to:

Settings > Tetehring and Wi-Fi hotspot (Connections tab) > Mobile hotspot > flip the switch to ON at the top.

For a tethered connection through USB, just put a tick on USB tethering immediately below Mobile hotspot.

Samsung Galaxy S5 and similar

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On the HTC One M8 (and similar), go to:

Settings > More > Mobile network sharing > flip the 'Portable Wi-Fi hotspot' switch to on. You'll be asked to input essential information, such as the name of the network and choose a password.

In other to tether through USB, go to 'USB network setting' and follow the instructions.

For wired data sharing, connect your smartphone to another device via USB, and click on 'USB tethering' at the very top.

Sony Xperia Z1 and similar

On the LG G3 (and similar), go to:

Settings > Share & connect (Networks tab) > flip the switch to on next to Wi-Fi hotspot. You'll be asked to input a password that is at least 8 characters long, and you can edit the name under which Wi-Fi hotspot will show up by clicking the 'Wi-Fi hotspot' text.

If you want to share your internet through USB (tether), simply connect your LG G3 to another device, and enableUSB tethering (on the top).

How to create a portable hotspot on your Android device and share your mobile data via Wi-Fi or USB

1. LG G3 and similar

On the LG G3 (and similar), go to:

Settings > Share & connect (Networks tab) > flip the switch to on next to Wi-Fi hotspot. You'll be asked to input a password that is at least 8 characters long, and you can edit the name under which Wi-Fi hotspot will show up by clicking the 'Wi-Fi hotspot' text.

If you want to share your internet through USB (tether), simply connect your LG G3 to another device, and enableUSB tethering (on the top).

2. Samsung Galaxy S5 and similar

On the Samsung Galaxy S5 (and similar), go to:

Settings > Tetehring and Wi-Fi hotspot (Connections tab) > Mobile hotspot > flip the switch to ON at the top.

For a tethered connection through USB, just put a tick on USB tethering immediately below Mobile hotspot.

3. HTC One M8 and similar

On the HTC One M8 (and similar), go to:

Settings > More > Mobile network sharing > flip the 'Portable Wi-Fi hotspot' switch to on. You'll be asked to input essential information, such as the name of the network and choose a password.

In other to tether through USB, go to 'USB network setting' and follow the instructions.

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